Helen+Dugdale

In mid-February, 1917, 28-year-old Marie Benzing, nee Hansberg, died at Chicago Union Hospital from an abortion perpetrated that day by Dr. Helen Dugdale. Dugdale was arrested and indicted by a Grand jury, but the case never went to trial.

In mid-September, 1918, 35-year-old homemaker Gertrude Harrington died in Chicago's Wesley Hospital from an abortion perpetrated by Helen Dugdale, whose profession is given as "abortion provider." Although Dugdale was arrested, the case never went to trial.

Dugdale, an obstetrician who advertised as a midwife (which was common for female obstetricians at that time), was born Helen Wolschlager on June 24, 1873 in Germany. She died January 10, 1938 in Chicago at the age of 64. She eventually divorced George Dugdale, owner of Chicago's infamous "Bucket of Blood" saloon.